Description of the attraction
The Regional, or Local Lore, Museum of Guadalajara, in the halls of which, in addition to the main collections, also houses the collection of the Jalisco State Museum, is located not in a secular mansion, but in a former monastery building, erected in the middle of the 18th century. The two-storey building in typical Central American colonial style is located in the historic quarters of the city. Its construction began in 1742 by the holy fathers from the monastery of St. Joseph. The new building was supposed to establish a seminary for local youth. The construction of the monastery building took 16 years.
A very unusual fate awaited this building. During the struggle for independence, it was occupied by rebels, then the local cells were converted into prison cells. In the middle of the 19th century, the former monastery building was again used for its intended purpose: an educational institution for boys and a public library were opened here. Finally, the building was turned into an art museum. This happened in 1918. It featured paintings by artists from Guadalajara and all over Mexico. In 1976, the profile of the museum was changed: in addition to a selection of paintings from the 17th-20th centuries, paleontological and archaeological finds, historical and ethnographic artifacts were exhibited here. Therefore, the museum was renamed into Regional Studies. In one of the 14 exhibition halls, you can see the main pride of the museum - a real mammoth skeleton. Skulls of prehistoric animals are also kept here. The museum also has many items that tell about the history of local tribes before Columbus discovered America.
